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JOHN W. STILL, or SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

Letters Patent No. 86,601, dated February 2, 1869.

IMPROVEMENT IN G-A'IE-LA'I'CHES The Schedule refen'ed to in these Letters Patent and making pan. of the name.

. To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN \V. STILL, of the city and :ounty of San Francisco, State of California, have invented an Improved Gate-Latch; and I do hereby declt re the following description and accompanying drawings are suiiicient to enable any person skilled in the art or science to which it most nearly appertains, toanake and use my said invention or improvements without further invention or experiment.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved gate-latch, so -c'onstrueted that it may be easily and readily operated from either side of the gate, while'it cannot be opened by being pushed against by cattle and hogs'; and

It consists in attaching to the gate a latch, in the form of a hook, having a suitable place arranged, in which the fingers may be placed, to draw back the hook, in order to unlatch the gate.

The hook is attached to the gate suits to leave a connecting-spring between it and the attachment, and an inclined slot is cut in the gate beneath the spring, to allow the hook to be drawn back.

The gate-post is cut away, so as to allow a metal plate to be set at an incline, the end of whichprotrudcs beyond the slot, so as to furnish a catch for the hook.

To more fully illustrate my invention, refine-nee is had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, oi which Figure 1 is a side view ofthe gate. Figure 2 is a sectional view, taken through 0: 0:. Figure 3 is an enla "ed view of the latch.

. O A is the frame oi a gate, to which are attached, by

means of screws, the spring B and hook O, which are portion of the metal, so as to form a catch or handhold, D, as shown in fig. 3.

' An incline slot, E is cut in the of the gate, directly under the spring, to allow of Its being drawn back, for the purpose of disengaging the hook.

The gate-post F is cutaway, so as to allow a plate ofmetal, G, to be-firmly secured at an incline, which crowds the hook back, when closing the gate, until it passes the plate G, when thr spring causes the hook to catch over the end of the plate, the wood being cut away at that point, to allow the hook to enter.

To open the gate, it is first pushed back far enough to allow the hook to clear the catch, when, by inserting the fingers in the hand-hold, the hook is drawn out, so as to allow the gate to swing open.

By this arrangement, I have a gate which is easily operated, and one which is secure, when closed from the attempts of animals to open it.

Having thus described my invention,

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patout, is

' The spring B, hook O, handle D, and plate or catch G, combined and arranged to form a gate or dooriastening, substantially as herein described.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal.

JOHN W. SJ'DILL. [L. s.] Witnesses J. L. Boone,

Gno. 11'. Srnone. 

